Denture mold



April14, 1942. w, J, PRYOR 2,279,952

` DENTURE MOLD Filed April 18, 1940 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 14, 1942 i l y UNITED 4STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,279,952 l DEN'rURE MOLD Walter J. Pryor, Cleveland, Ohio ApplicationAprl 18, 1940, Serial No. 330,351v 4 Claims. (Cl. 18-5.7)

This invention relates tov molding apparatus, f my apparatus, and have shown thai same apand more particularly to an improved mold for plied t0 the molding 0f artificial dentures, the use in making artificial dentures from plastic invention may be embodied in other forms of material, similar apparatus" and may be applied to theL In the manufacture of artificial dentures plas- 5 molding of various other articles. tic materials such as methyl methacrylate, other My improved molding apparatus comprises in synthetic resins and rubber are commonly used general a mold I0 having a mold cavity Il therewhich are subject to shrinkage during curing or in adapted to receive a quantity of the plastic polymerization and certain undesirable effects material from which the article is to be molded. frequently result from such shrinkage. The 1o and a means for maintaining the material under shrinking of the material may cause the denpressure in the mold cavity and for forcing adture to be slightly smaller in size than is deditional material into the mold cavity during the sired or necessary for a perfect fit. Shrinking curing operation to thereby compensate for of the material also causes severe stresses to be ,shrinkage 0f the material- The mold cavity II set up in the article which, at times, have reconforms in shape to the article to be produced,

sulted in cracking or breaking of the artificial 4in this instance an artificial denture I2 as shown teeth or in cracking of the body or plate portion in Fig. 3. of the denture. As will be presently expiained 'I'he denture I2 may comprise e molded body or in detail, my improved dental mold not only vplate portion 2a and a Set Of teeth |21) formed overcomes the diicuhjies mentioned but proof porcelain'or other suitable material and held ducesstronger and more accurately shaped denby Such plate portion. As the denture is detures than have been obtainable heretofore. livered from the mold cavity kIl it also'has an An object of my invention is to provide an imintegral extension or gate section comprising proved mold having novel means for maintaining a Stern Or pest I2C and arins Izd Connecting the plastic material under pressure during curing Same with the plate portion. This extension thereof whereby theundesirable effects of 0r gate section is formed by mold passages I3 shrinkage of the material are avoided, and I4, which communicate with thefcavity I I Anothervobject of my invention is to provide for a purpose t0 be presently explained. and is an improved mold, of the character mentioned, detached from the denture after the latter is rehaving means for maintaining the material in the 3o moved from the mold. mold cavity under pressure and for causing ad- As shown in the drawing, the mOld III Inay ditionai material to be forced into the cavity comprise a hollow flask formed of bottom and during the curing operation to compensate for tcp sections I5 and I6 adapted to be secured shrinkage. together by suitable bolts Il and having therein My invention may be further briefly sumbodies I8 and I9 of plaster of Paris or other marized as consisting in certain novel combinaappropriate meld fOrming Inaterial- The top tions and arrangements of parts hereinafter de- Wall Of the upper flask Section I6 may have a scribed and Aparticularly set out in the appended` nut 0r bushing 20 Screwed or otherwise mounted claims, therein and provided with an opening in which a v In the accompanying drawing: plunger 2I is slidable for a purpose to be herein- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through after eXplained- Portions 0f the bodies I8 and denture molding apparatus embodying my in- I9 cooperate t0 fOlm the mOld cavity Which, verition; except for the communication provided by the y Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on passages I3 and I 4, isclosed when the mold secline 2-2 of Fig. 1; 45 tions are secured together. The plaster body I8 Fig 3 is a perspective View showing an artiof the lower mold section is preformed so that cial denture as produced by the molding apthe top thereof corresponds in Shape With the paratus of Fig, 1; and patients gums and the roof of his mouth and is Fig. 4 is a partial sectional elevation showing then mcllnted in the l0Wer section I5 of .the a modied form of my molding apparatus. flask by means of a quantity of oementitious The construction and manner of use of my imllins material Isa. proved molding apparatus will now be described The plaster body I9 may be previously cast more in detail, but before proceeding with the in the upper section I6 of the flask so as to detailed description, it should be understood that provide the Same With the passages I3 and I4 although I have illustrated but one embodiment and with portions which will cooperate with the known to those skilled 1n the dental art.

One way of accomplishingthis is by first building up in wax on the body Il a structure (not shown) vcorresponding with the plate portion of the denture to beformed and mounting the articial teeth |2b in proper relation on thisV wax structure. The wax structure may, alsoinclude portions corresponding `with the extension portions |2c and |2d of the denture l2- ofy Fig. 3, the portion |2c preferably being in alignment with the plunger 2|. and of the .same size and shape. The space in the flask section I6 surrounding this wax structure and the plunger 2| is ,then illled with plaster of Paris orV the ,like to form the body I9, a parting line or plane 22 being maintained between the'upper and lower mold sections. The wax isl then dissolved orotherwise removed from the body' I9 leaving the cavitydenning portions and the Passages I3 and I4, and also leaving the artiilcial teethl |2b with4 their top, portions rmly embedded in the plaster and `with their lower endsextending into the mold Vuncured plastic material'. Some of the plastic 'material isr also caused to'enter. and fill the passages I3 and |4,`and to extend part way into the aligned passage 23 formed in the body I9 by the plunger 2|. The sections of the ask are then secured togetherby means ofthe bolts |'I and the plunger 2| is inserted throughV the opening ofthe bushing 20. The curing operation is then started by supplying heat or other appropriate curing agent to the assembled and charged mold. During the curing, operation I apply pressure lto the plastic material by means of the plunger 2| which is progressively or from time to time moved further into the mold so as to maintain the material in themold ycavityunder Isubstantially constant pressure andtoforcevadditional material into the mold cavity from the passages I3 and I4 to thereby compensate for shrinkage of the material during curing or polymerization.

The pressure may be applied to the plunger 2| by any suitable means,` such as by aveframe or press 25in which the mold I0 is placed and which has a movable plate 26 engageable with the head 21'of the plunger. Compression'springs 28 may be arranged to Vact on the plate 26 to impart inward movement to the plunger and to maintain the substantially constant pressure on the plastic `from the frame 2i.

'omessa y Whenthe plunger 2| ismade of'metalatranafer of heat may take placemore rapidly than'is desired between the plunger and theplastic matermi. 'and to prevent. um I may provme'an msulating and 32 at the inner end of theA plunger for contact with the body oi plastic materialin the plunger passage. `This insulating disk may be formed of a suitable rubber oomposition. or any other appropriate material.

After the curing operation is completed, the

leased by screwing the member, 2l outwardly to lift 'the plate 2l and the mold III is then removed The mold sections are then separated and the molded article removed from V the upper mold section by breaking of the plaster body Il if necessary. 'I'he artincial teeth are now firmly held by the solidified material forming the plate portion |2a and constitute a permanent part of the denture shown inl Fig. 3.

In Fig. 14 I show another form of my molding apparatus embodying theprincipies and features already described but in which more simplified means is provided for applyinghe pressure to the plastic material.' This modiiled apparatus includes a mold 35 which is substantially identical with the moldl described above and has a bushing or nutl screwed into the'topfwall of the ask and a plunger 31 operable for the purpose above explained andexte'nding into the vmold through this bushing or nut. `For applying pressure to the plunger `I provide a cup-like member or cover 38 whichis screwed Vonto the bushing 38 and houses a spring" 3l which exerts pressure on the plunger. The cover 33 may have a handle portion by whichv it, can be kcon-- lveniently rotated for screwing it'inwardly or oute wardly of the bushing 36 to thereby regulate the spring pressure on the plunger. f

\ moldingv articial dentures yor other. articles and4 From the foregoing `description andthe accompanying drawing, it will'nowbe readily seen that I haveprovided iimprovedlapparatus for in whichprovision is made for compensating -for the shrinkage which usually occurs in the plastic material being molded. It also be seen that such shrinkage compensation-is obtainedl by providing. means for maintaining a substantially constant lpressure on theplastic material during the curing thereoffand' alsoforcing additional material into the mold cavity while such pressure is being maintained."` It will be understood further,`that since I substantially elimi- 4 nate shrinkage of the materiaLI also eliminate material. The action of the springs 28 may be controlled or variedv by means of fa `threaded member 29 `which may be screwed inwardly or outwardly through thev top portion of the frame 25 by means of a suitablewrench 30. VThe plate m apparatus herein disclosed,- but regard my inthe undesirable stresses and breakage usually caused by shrinkage and am able toprodu'ce dentures. `or other molded articles. ofstronger and more accurate form. With the moldconstruction which I have provided it will also be seen that the `additional or reserve supply of uncured plastic material is located interiorly of the mold andv hence Awill not cure too rapidly to permit material to be forced into the mold cavity during substantially the entire curingoperation to compensate for shrinkage.

While I have illustrated and described my improved molding apparatus in aI more or less detailed manner, it will be understood, of course, that I donotwishto-be limited to theI details of construction or'r to.' the particular form" of the vention as including such, changes and modications as do not constitutes. departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the ap- Having thus described my inVention,'I claim:

1. In molding apparatus of the character described, a mold ask containing a mold having therein a cavity adapted to receive material to be molded and cured and a passage communicating with said cavity and also adapted to receive some of said material, said flask having a threaded portion and a plunger extending therethrough into said passage, a spring acting on the plunger to cause the same to exert pressure on the material in said passage so as to maintain said cavity lled during the curing of the material, and a hollow member housing said spring and having adjustable screw connection withI said threaded portion for varying the compression of said spring.

2. In molding apparatus for producing arti-v ficial dentures from moldable material of the kind which shrinks during curing or polymerization, a mold having a denture forming cavity therein adapted to be filled with said moldable material, means providing a cylindrical chamber extending into the mold and adapted to contain an additional supply of said moldable material and at its inner end having communication with the mold cavity, a plunger movable in said cylindn'cal chamber and having its outer end projecting from the mold, and pressure applying means exterior of the mold including a spring adapted to apply pressure to the plunger to maintain the mold cavity iilled with said material during said curing. y

3:-In molding apparatus for producing artificial dentures from moldable material of the kind which shrinks during curing or polymerization, a iiask having a bushing screwed into a wall opening thereof, a mold in the flask having a denture forming cavity therein adapted to be filled with said moldable material and a cylindrical' chamber substantially aligned lwith the openingA of said bushing, said chamber being adapted to contain an additional supply of said moldable material and at its inner end having communication with said cavity', a plunger movable in said chamber and bushing and having itsv outer end projecting from the latter and pro,- vided with a head, a springseating against the plunger head, and a hollow member housing said spring and having adjustable screw connection with said bushing for varying the compression of the spring, said spring and plungerbeing adapted to act to maintain said cavity lled with said moldable material.

4. In molding apparatus for producing articial dentures from moldable material of the kind which shrinks during curing or polymerization, a ask having a bushing screwed into a wall opening thereof,.a mold inthe ask having a Y denture forming cavity therein adapted to be chamber so as to maintain said cavity lled with said moldable material during the curing yof the material in the cavity.

WALTER J, PRYOR.. 

